and in the end
by Symphony's Feather
Summary: "Her breath rattles, but to him it's like an earthquake." A scene I thought up from Lithos Maitreya's "Walking Backwards On a Tightrope." NaruHina. WARNING: CHARACTER DEATH!


**A/N: Hello, my friends! **

**So basically, this is based on Lithos Maitreya's "Walking Backwards On a Tightrope." He/she mentioned that Sasuke (before going back five years into the past) killed Kakashi by "burning him alive", enslaved Sakura with Madara's jutsu, and killed Hinata with a chidori spear. This is after he impaled her: Sasuke has flipped back into a sudden mist as Naruto watches on helplessly. But I won't spoil the plot-read on! **

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Her breath rattles, a small sound in the swathe of silence, but to him it's like an earthquake. The word _alive_ pulses through his head, makes his heart jerk sporadically.

"Hinata . . ." The whispered word is breathed; the next is shouted. "_Hinata-chan_!"

And then his feet are pounding, flying towards the small frame of a girl, and he's kneeling at her side, praying to Kami that she has more time than the last casualty did.

Her eyes flutter, faint confusion ribboning her expression. "Naruto . . . kun?" She chokes the words out painfully, and his eyes blaze as they glance at the gaping wound in her chest, then at the figure standing in the fog. Her eyes widen as she sees sapphire start to dissolve to crimson and she makes a sound of distress.

"_Naruto_!"

The burning in her chest makes her cry stop short and she winces at the agony. His eyes wash blue again as he turns back to her. "Naruto . . . please . . . it's not—worth it . . ." Her words are whispered, choked by pain.

Again he glowers, livid, at the dark devil standing in the quickly fading mist.

Sasuke Uchiha chuckles darkly. "What was said at the Chuunin Exams so long ago? Hmm . . ." He taps a finger against his lips mockingly. "Ah, yes: 'I really wouldn't waste your time glaring at me, when you could be taking care of her.'" He pauses, a malicious smile curving his lips. "So sad that weakling had to die so young."

Cerulean flickers red again, and the girl next to him flinches, the scarlet chakra so close it burns. He remembers her earlier words and his teeth clench, trying to control the immense anger searing through him. "_Don't you __dare_—!" He breathes, harsh and terse. "Don't you _dare_ mention him," he says, voice low and deadly. "Not right now."

The Uchiha smirks.

His attention turns back to Hinata, and he takes her hand in both of his. "I'm sorry," he whispers. "I am _so_ sorry."

Her eyes close, open, not even seeming to register his apology. "Naruto," she murmurs weakly. "Please . . ." She takes a trembling breath. "It—hurts . . ."

He presses their hands to his lips, closing his eyes. "I know," he breathes. "It'll be okay. Try not to talk." _Think, think, think_—

A flash of pink and green enters his mind and his eyes open. "Sakura!" he calls, easing Hinata's hand down. "I need you." He looks around desperately.

Sasuke's smirk grows. "I don't think you'll have much luck with that," he states, and snaps his fingers. "Sakura?"

A figure walks out of the fog and stands next to him, short pink hair swaying in the breeze. "Hello, Hokage-sama," she says, her voice oddly vacant. Naruto turns slowly, eyes narrowed.

_And Sakura's spring green eyes have no pupils._

"Sakura," the blond whispers, horrible truth making him numb. "No . . . you . . ."

Sasuke pretends to look at an imaginary watch. "Time's running out," he says in mock sadness. "Go on. I'll give you two time. Then we fight." He turns, and snaps his fingers again. "Come on, Sakura. Let's give them some time alone."

The kunoichi blinks once and copies him. "Of course."

Again Naruto turns to Hinata. "N-Naruto-kun," she tries to say.

"Shhh," he soothes. "Don't talk."

"B-but . . ." Her feeble voice reminds him of younger years, of training grounds and pale blue shirts, confessions and 'people like you.' "It's . . . important . . ."

He tries to smile, feels tears forming at the corners of his eyes. "What is it?" he manages, softly.

She whispers something he can't hear, and he leans closer.

"_I . . . __love__ . . . you . . ._"

A tear succeeds in running down the side of his face.

"Yeah," he whispers, and his voice breaks. "I love you, too."

She breathes raggedly now, grasping for oxygen with failing lungs. "Naruto-kun," she manages, forcing out the words. "Can you . . . can you . . .?"

He understands without her telling him, and nods, chin trembling. He leans down and kisses her forehead, very gently.

She sighs, chest shuddering. "Th-thank . . . you, Naruto . . . kun."

Her eyes close.

He's so close he can hear her heart beat. He counts the seconds. _Thump_ (two . . . threefour), _thump_ (two . . . three . . . four), _thump_ (two . . . three . . .)—

The fourth beat never comes.

He listens, waits.

Nothing.

He presses his fingers to the side of her neck, like Sakura taught him.

_Nothing._

His eyes squeeze shut and barely manage to hold in the tears that fill his eyes now.

_(Rapidly turning crimson) _

His teeth clench so tight it hurts his jaw.

_(Canines growing sharper, longer)_

And Naruto Uzumaki stands and _screams_ in rage, pain, sorrow—narrowed, red eyes flaring open—and steps towards Sasuke.

_Kill him, break him, make him suffer—_

The Uchiha smirks, leisurely pulling out his sword like it's the easiest thing in the world.

"_Let's begin_."

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**A/N: I've never really written angst before, so I hope this is good for a first try. _I_ thought it was good, but you can drop me your thoughts in a review!**

**Go on.**

**You can do it.**

**Press that lonely button down there.**

**Go ahead.**

**Type.**

**Press it.**

**Don't be shy . . . **


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